Stark businessman sues over Sherrod Brown campaign ad

Thursday

Stark County businessman Benjamin Suarez is suing U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown over one of Brown's recent campaign commercials.

Suarez's complaint, filed Thursday in Stark County Common Pleas Court, alleges Brown and his Friends of Sherrod Brown campaign falsely accused Suarez of being a "crooked businessman" and have attacked and defamed him for his continued support of Brown's Senate opponent, Jim Renacci.

The lawsuit centers around a campaign commercial focusing on Renacci's ties to Suarez, a Republican supporter.

"A crooked businessman looking for help. A congressman looking for donations. Jim Renacci used his office to try to get a lawsuit dropped against Ben Suarez. Days later, Suarez sent Renacci $100,000. Renacci claimed they didn't have a close relationship. But court records now show the two exchanged more than 40 calls surrounding the donations. Jim Renacci. He's always looked out for himself."

Suarez, owner of SCI Industries, based in Jackson Township, and his attorney contend those statements are false and damaging.

"Suarez is not a 'crooked businessman,' Representative Renacci did not use his office to try to get a lawsuit dismissed against Suarez, and Suarez did not send $100,000 to Representative Renacci," according to the lawsuit.

Suarez and co-defendant Michael Giorgio, SCI’s former chief financial officer, were accused of illegally funneling almost $200,000 in campaign contributions to two Republican candidates for Congress: Renacci, R-Wadsworth, and U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel, who is state treasurer. Mandel and Renacci were not charged, and they later returned the political donations.

Suarez contends the donations from his company's employees were not tied to his contacting Renacci seeking help for a lawsuit his company was facing in California. Renacci, he said, declined to intervene.

Suaraz's lawsuit points out he was acquitted in U.S. District Court in 2014 of violating campaign finance laws. He was convicted of a sole count of obstruction of justice by witness tampering for trying to sway the grand jury testimony of SCI’s former controller, a charge the defense vehemently denied.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison and later released. He lost attempts to overturn the conviction.

"... Senator Brown and FSB knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth accused Suarez of being guilty of the very crime he was acquitted of, in an effort to retaliate against and smear Suarez," according to the lawsuit.

Suarez's complaint alleges defamation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It seeks more than $25,000 in damages on each count.

Renacci, who has represented the 16th District since 2010, is challenging Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland seeking his third Senate term.

Attempts to reach the Brown campaign Thursday were unsuccessful.

Contact the Repository newsroom at 330-580-8300 or newsroom@cantonrep.com.

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